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He included a similar reference in his speech at the Republican National Convention when he accepted his party's nomination on July 21, 2016.

\"Only weeks ago, in Orlando, Florida, 49 wonderful Americans were savagely murdered by an Islamic terrorist. This time the terrorist targeted our LGBT community. As your president, I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBT citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology,\" Trump said.

\"PHOTO:
Evan Vucci/AP
PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump holds a flag as he arrives at a campaign rally at the University of Northern Colorado, Oct. 30, 2016, in Greeley, Colo.
>

Before his official run

In 2000, when Trump publicly toyed with — and later dismissed — the idea of a presidential run that year, he was interviewed by The Advocate, an LGBT magazine.

While he was not specifically asked about transgender Americans' serving in the military, he said he would be supportive of gay people serving in the military.

\"If a gay person can be a doctor or a lawyer or a teacher or take another position of responsibility, why can't they serve this country in the military?\" Trump said.

\"'Don't ask, don't tell' has clearly failed. Gay people serve effectively in the military in a number of European countries. There is no reason why they can't serve in the United States,\" he added.

When it came to his administration, he said he would want \"the best and the brightest.\"

\"Sexual orientation would be meaningless. I'm looking for brains and experience. If the best person for the job happens to be gay, I would certainly appoint them,\" he said in the interview.

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